Blank feeder



May 8, 1928.

1,668,967 H. s. LABOMBARDE BLANK FEEDER Filed April 5. 1925 F/G. J.

59 INVENTOR hcqfiaui. -5- insane/1 0:.

ATTORNEY Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITED STA mm B. LABOIBABDI, OI NASHUA, NEW

BLANK FEEDER.

Application fled April 3,

This invention relates to means for feeding blanks of paper orpasteboard, the

- blanks being taken singly from a supply on a table and forwarded tomechanism which folds or otherwise treatsthem.

In blank feeders of the type which employ a'friction combing wheel orwheels to cause the blanks to advance singly, it often happens that saidwheels acquire, on their peripheries, an accumulation of particles suchas those of a fibrous nature which result from the cutting or dieing outof the blanks. Such particles interfere with the proper frictionaleffect of the combing wheels when feeding. Therefore one of the objectsof the present invention is to provide an improved feeder of this typein which the combing wheel or wheels will be automatically kept cleanand free from the accumulation of object-ionable particles on theirperipheries.

With this object in view, my invention includes the provision of acleaning member in such proximity to the combing wheel as to remove fromthe periphery of the latter such fibers or other particles as may betemporarily attached thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blank feeder of thecombing wheel type with means for ensuring continuous automatic approachof the blanks on the table toward position for being acted uponsuccessively by the'combing wheel.

A further object is to rovide an improved direct drive mechanlsm for theretary elements of the feeding mechanism, the advantages of which willbe explained here inafter.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of. a. blank feeder having my improvements, someof the adjuncts being omitted.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 isa sectional detail on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 represents a sectionon line 4-4 of Figure 1. 1

Mounted in the frame 12 connected by suitable tie rods such as indicatedat 13, 14, are three shafts 15, 16, 17. Secured to the shafts 15, 16,are gears 18, 19, with both of which an intermediate pinion 20- meshes.

Carried by the shaft 15 so as to be rotated thereby are rolls 21 which,for a reason here- 1928. Serial I0. 689,.-

initlfter explained, are referred to as gage ro s.

Passing around the drum 22 carried by shaft 16 are belts 23 onto whichblanks a are fed successlvely by the action of the combing wheels 24carried by shaft 17. Each blank so fed travels along on the belts 23 tothe mechanism which is to fold or otherwise treat t, thepassage of morethan one blank at a time being prevented by a vertically adustable gateor gage strip 25. Friction retards 26 are mounted on the tie rod 13 andare adjustable by means of screws 27. The operation of mechanism of thistype is similar to that explained in Letters Patent 1,112,811 grantedOct. 6, 1914 to E. W. Labombarde, and needs no further explanationherein.

Referring now more particularly to the details of my presentimprovements, the shaft 17 carrying the combing wheels 24 has a gear 28which is in direct mesh with the gear 19 of shaft 16 and is also indirect mesh with a gear 29 of a shaft 30 mounted in the frame aboveshaft 17.. Above each combing wheel and carried by the shaft 30 is abrush 31 which may be of any suitable material for acting ashereinbefore described upon the combing wheel, below it to positivelyremove therefrom all fibrous or other foreign particles and dischargesuch particles in a rearward direction so that such particles can notaccumulate at the bottom of the gate strip 25 and interfere with thepassage of blanks under said gate strip. The relative diameters of thecombing wheels and the brushes are such, preferably, that the brushbristles move somewhat, but not greatly, faster than the speed ofmovement of the tops of the combing wheels, so that the brush bristles,after being somewhat bent or flexed as indicated in Figure 2, willquickly snap to straight condition and thereby forcibly remove in arearward direction all foreign particles which may lodge on theperipheries of the wheels, which peripheries are usually of rubber. Thegearing is such that the brushes and the combing wheels rotate inopposite directions and therefore their contacting peripheries aremoving rearwardly, in operation. If the brushes were to rotate in thesame direction as the combing wheels there would be such excessivefriction between them as to unduly wear both the rubber and thebristles.

As is usual with this type of blank feeders, the table 32 is sosupported by the frame as to be more or less inclined to cause the stockof. blanks to gradually slide toward the combing wheels and retards. Itis not always possible to have the angle of inclination so accurate, tosuit the quality and quantity of blanks, that the forward blanks will besquared up as they reach the combing wheels. It often requires handpressure or knocking on the upper portions of the forward blanks tocause them to slide down properly. To effect an automatic correctpresentation of the forward blanks to the action of the combing wheels,I provide means for slightly agitating the forward blanks of the stockon the table. A convenient mechanism for effecting such agitationcomprises vibrators consisting of arms 33 carried by a rock shaft 34 andextending part way along the sides of the retards so that the loweredges of the forward blanks (except a few close to the combing wheels)will be acted upon by said arms. The rock shaft and its blank-agitatingarms are actuated by a cam 35 (Figs. 1 and 3) carried by shaft 16, saidcam acting upon a roll 36 of an arm 37 of the rock shaft. Thisconstruction causes the vibrator arms 33 to impart a slight quick upwardblow against the lower edges of some of the forward blanks during eachrotation of the combing wheel, thereby ensuring continuous automaticapproach of the blanks toward the combing wheels in accurately squaredup position for the feeding action of said wheel.

As feeders of this type operate very rapidly, frequent additions ofbunches of blanks must be made at the rear of those on the table. Whenthe table is fiat although inclined, as in the patent hereinoeforereferred to and, so far as I am aware, in all others of such type, it isdifficult for th attendant to insert the added supply under those at therear of the blanks already on the table without quite seriouslydisarranging those under which the new ones are to be tucked. Tofacilitate the successive addition of bunches of blanks to position onthe table, I provide the table with a transverse ridge as indicated at38. Said ridge is located at such distance from the combing wheels as toadmit what may be considered a normal supply of blanks a between it andthe combing wheels, with the upper edge of the rearmost blank projectingover the ridge as indicated in Figure 2. Then, as the length of the rowof blanks diminishes, due to their sliding down as the combing wheelsremove the foremost ones, the attendant simply slides a fresh bunch ofblanks under the rearmost one the projecting upper edge of which permitssuch Lessee? insertion without necessitating any grasping of those onthe table to lift them.

Preferably the forwardly-facing wall of the ridge is substantiallyparallel with the angle which the blanks have a natural tendency toassume when arranged for feeding. I do not limit myself to this-shapehowever. Nor do I limit myself to forming the ridge as an integral partof the table, as illustrated, for it may consist of a separate barsuitably mounted on an otherwise fiat inclined table.

By means of the ridge and the agitators or vibrators 33, no handling ofthe blanks once deposited on the table is required to ensure properpresentation to the combing wheels. The agitators ensure proper movementof the forward blanks, while the ridge enables more blanks to be addedby sliding thenrunder the one at the rear on the table without liabilityof laterally shifting any of those previously deposited.

The positive drive of the shaft 15 having therolls 21, and the directgear connections between the shafts 15, 16, 17, with no intermediategearing other than the pinion 20, ell'ect several advantages inoperation. One is simplicity and durability of the parts, and anotherthe certainty of uniformity of movement of the members which cooperatein feeding the blanks. An important advantage is that the space betweenthe lower end of the gate strip 25and the surface of the belt 23 belowit, which space is relied upon to prevent the passage of more than oneblank at a time, is more reliably uniform than when the roll 21 belowsuch belt is not driven except as it may be rotated by the friction ofthe belt passing over it, as is the case in the machine illustrated inthe Patent 1,112,811. The belts 23 are usually of resilient material,such as rubber, and therefore subject to variations in thickness. Whenthe roll under the gate strip is rotated only by the friction of thebelt pressed against it by a passing blank, the belt is subjected toconstant variations of tension and therefore changes in thicknesstending to effect a jam in the feed, or undue changes in the thicknessof that portion of the belt extending from the roll 21 to the drum 22.

By the direct drive as described, however,

the peripheries of the roll 21 and drum 22 are caused to travel, always,at a uniform speed and therefore reduce the tendency of the belts 23 tovary in thickness.

The table 32 which supports the pile or row of blanks has side walls 39which are adjustable toward and from each other, being provided with anysuitable means for securing them in adjusted positions. The innersurfaces of the upper and rear edge portions of the side walls areflared outwardly as indicated by comparing Figure 4 with the shadedareas of the said walls in Fi ures 1 and 2. The table with its side wals constitutes-a hopper for the blanks. The object of the formation ofthe walls, with the flared portions 40, is to enable an attendant tointroduce and properly locate the blanks without having to exercisespecial care to prevent any of the blanks from arriving in place more orless askew. The flared portions 40 provide a bell-mouth entrance to thehopper so that if any of the blanks which are being inserted from therear or top of the hopper project somewhat laterally from the bunch,they will be pushed back into alinement with the rest of the bunch bythe act of pushing the bunch to position.- In other words, thebell-mouth entrance will straighten out any blanks that may be more orless askew in the bunch that is being manually supplied to the hopper.

Having now described my inventlon, I claim:

1. Blank feeding mechanism comprising a support for blanks, a frictioncombing wheel having means for drivin it in' a direction to feed blanksforward from said support, a rotary brush having resilient bristles inposition to constantly contact with the to of the combing wheel and beflexed there y, and means for ositively rotating said brush continuously1n a direction to cause it to remove particles backward from the combingwheel, the combing wheel and brush and the means for driving them beingconstructed to cause the periphery of 3 the brush to move at a fasterspeed than that of the combing wheel, whereby the bristles are firstflexed and then snap back to normal condition.

2. A blank feeder comprising a table for supporting the blanks edgewise,a combing wheel and cooperating members for feeding blanks singly andsuccessively from the table, and means for automatically agitating theblanks as they approach position to be acted upon by the combing wheel.

3. A blank feeder comprising a table for the blanks, a combing wheel andcooperating members for feedin blanks singly and successively from thetab e, a rock shaft having arms extending toward the combing wheel, andmeans for rocking the shaft to cause its arms to agitate the blanks asthey approach position to be acted upon by the combing wheel.

4. A blank feeder having a combing wheel, a drum below the wheel, a gagerol a gate above the gage roll, a belt mounted on said drum and passingover the gage roll, and intermeshing gears for driving sald wheel drumand roll positively.

5. A blank feeder having a combing wheel, a drum below the wheel, a gagerol a gate above the gage roll, a belt mounted on said drum and passingover the gage roll, and direct drive connections between the wheel, drumand roll toensure positive and uniform movements thereof.

In testimony whereof I have atfi-xed my I signature.

HAROLD S. LABOMBARDE.

